Top 10 tipsfor relieving
symptoms of pregnancy cravings and aversions
Before we
go through these pieces of advice, we first have to define pregnancy cravings
and aversionsand their symptoms.
What is pregnancy craving
and aversion?
It is one
of pregnancy symptoms that happens especially during the first trimester, considered
to be some of the changes in the appetite of a pregnant, where she can crave
eating foods that she did not like before and alienate from foods that could be
her favorites previously, she can also crave nonfood and weird items like dust
and soap… some psychological changes also may be related to this condition,
where the pregnant can alienate from her husband, hate some people, or love
people she used to hate before.
What causes pregnancy
cravings and aversions?
Hormonal disturbances:which cause some changes in the senses’ strength,
including the sense of smell and taste, this leads to an increased desire to
eat or to not eat.
The baby’s consumption of nutrients in the mother’s
body: The reason
behind craving some foods is the lack of the pregnant woman’s body to nutrients
in those foods.
Mood swings: These changes, especially feelings of stress
or depression, increase the desire to eat.
What are the main
medications to treat craving and morning sickness?
When
craving, aversion and nausea are severe, women tend to take some treatments to
get rid of them, such as:
·
Vitamin (B6).
·
Food supplements containing vitamins and
nutrients needed to fight nausea.
·
Antihistamines.
·
Prescription anti-nausea medications
promethazine, metoclopramide, or ondansetron.
But in all
cases the pregnant woman should consult a specialist doctor before taking any
medication.
What are the herbs that
reduce craving and aversion?
There are many ways to treat
it at home, the most important of which are:
• Ginger
Drink: Drinking a cup of sweetened ginger with honey daily just after you wake
up helps alleviate symptoms of craving and aversion, such as nausea and
dizziness.
• Parsley
drink: It helps relieve symptoms and is taken by drinking a cup of boiled parsley.
• Apple
cider vinegar: by mixing a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a glass of
water and drinking it in case of a feeling of vomiting.
• Mixture
of cumin and vinegar: You can prepare it by soaking 7 tablespoons of cumin with
two teaspoons of vinegar, and leave the mixture for a whole night, after that
roast it over the fire, and have one tablespoon of it daily on an empty
stomach.
Top 10 helpful tips and
solutions for alleviating craving symptoms:
1. First of
all, you should see a doctor to ensure that you and your baby are healthy, and
to provide you with appropriate advice on the best way to deal with cravings
and pregnancy.
2. Making
tests to know the level of essential vitamins in the body to ensure that there
is no deficiency in them.
3. Having a
rest after eating for at least fifteen minutes, especially after the breakfast
period, this contributes to preventing stomach muscle spasms, thus preventing
vomiting.
4. Inhaling
fresh scents, because the estrogen hormone increases significantly during
pregnancy, which enhances the sense of smell in a pregnant woman she becomes
more sensitive to strong smells that may cause nausea, so it is advised to keep
some lemons, basil or mint next to you to smell them and be sure to
take them with you and use them when nausea occurs.
5. Drink a
lot of water: Studies show that symptoms related to craving and aversion become
worse when the mother is dehydrated because of not drinking water, so be sure
to drink 8 cups of water at intermittent periods during the day and it’s
preferable to add lemon to it so that you can drink it easily.
6. Always
make sure to get some fresh air if the weather permits.
7. Avoid food
that can make you bothered such as fat-free foods and spices, as they may increase
nausea. Fruits, salads, toast, and full carbs, have been shown to have the
ability to make the pregnant feel comfortable during this period.
8. Eat small
amounts of food on a regular basis, to ensure that some food stays in your
stomach throughout the day to reduce the annoying symptoms.
9 Turn your focus
towards other things, such as reading or walking, because the emotional state
has a major impact on your case, so always be positive and confident.
Do not exert
yourself too much, as fatigue increases the severity of the symptoms, and lay
down whenever you feel tired.
